Résumé en anglais

Organ donation is a form of human commerce based on solidarity, solidarity impelled by death (generally donor’s death and in many case recipient’s imminent death). The purpose of this study is to show that the form of donation varies by the material nature of the organ and that it is important not only to distinguish living or what is here called inter vivos organ donation from post mortem donation but also to take into account whether organ use can be deferred or not. In recent years, original forms of organ donation have appeared–both post mortem and inter vivos– in which economic incentives come increasingly into play. The study analyzes these recent developments in terms of pseudo markets and an “economy of exhortation”. It concludes by considering the organizational nature of giving in organ donation.